“Up to this time, how many future Saints did you speak with, work with, go to school with, have solid friendships with, or merely pass by?
How would you determine a future Saint? How would you judge a man’s behavior in reference to his possible Sainthood? Would you judge him on how much work he does, how smart he is, how he carries on with his responsibilities, how talented he is, how successful he is in the eyes of others? Or would you say that Sainthood could be recognized by the obvious extreme purity a man or woman would show in their speech, in their actions, and in their ways of prayer?
Saints are not born Saints. It is acquired, it is the result of, it is the Reward for a human life dedicated and committed to serving God in many ways.
To recognize the possibility of Sainthood in any other human being would be difficult, perhaps even impossible. Few people are so outstanding in ‘pure charity’, and fewer people are outstanding in ‘pure piety’. This type of piety should not be mistaken for false piety.
Tonight, begin with a sound Examination of Conscience. Be honest with the answers you come up with, that encourage you to change for the better. Don’t cheat yourself in this Examination of Conscience.
In order to change one’s thinking, one’s actions, one’s directions, we must stop and recognize fully all the areas and all the facts of a given situation, and then make determinations to purify this part of our life. It is not impossible.
Then, after this Examination of Conscience, a truly sincere Act of Contrition, a prayer asking forgiveness, should be said. When this is finished, there will be no change until the ‘will’ of the individual makes the decision, or decisions, that will lay the groundwork to establish a sound foundation to build upon, to strengthen the approach to Sainthood. Sainthood ‘doesn’t just happen, it is earned’.”
“What value do you place on your time?
What makes your time valuable?
Do you spend time, or do you use time?
There is a purpose to these questions. So many times people protect the time of every day that they feel is theirs to do with what they will. Many times this period of time is frittered away, wasted, or useless in its entirety. Time is valuable to each of us, and time moves forward constantly, consistently, even rapidly when we are busy.
Time cannot be stopped. So would it not be wise, knowing we cannot stop time, to make it a habit to use it in a profitable way for the progress of our mind, our body, and of our Soul?
Some people can be termed ‘professional students’. They use their time going to school to improve their mind. Very often this is done with no exact goal in mind, just an inner need to exercise the opportunity to learn about subjects. Then there are those who spend much time working on strengthening their body for health reasons or appearance. A wise man would even reserve time for Spiritual growth, Spiritual health, and Sainthood.
Time is such an overall subject. Let us each look at the time we used up today, the time we spent doing things because of necessity, because of need, because it was expected of us, plus the time we wasted in unnecessary unkindnesses, impurities, or even through habit, sinning against one or more of God’s Commandments.
Have you ever said, ‘I’m not a Saint’? This statement seems to justify all mistakes or impurities, actions, thoughts, deeds or words. Remember, change is not impossible, and all men should make it their goal to reach a more pure state of being. No man should shun purity, for a pure state of mind, body and Soul is a state of true peace and total tranquility. It is a state of happiness, for it is a state of Grace and favor with God.
No man should say, ‘Nobody could stand me if I reach this state.’ Such a state of living would draw men to you through your example, your happiness, your understanding, your charity, your hope, for all these things would exude from you spontaneously.”
“Prayer in its fullness, its usefulness, has a remarkable effect upon our whole life. Prayer has a distinctness, in that it is our personal way of communication, expressing to God our fears, our needs, our desires, our hopes, our requests, our dependence, our belief, our Faith.
Prayer is important for it stabilizes the bond of our physical life with our Spiritual life.
Prayer is verbal, it is silent, and is performed through our actions of charity, or through ceremony directing our thoughts to God.
Prayer has been on the lips of men and in the hearts of men for thousands of years, and prayer has been the foundation for Faith to grow on, from, and in.
Make each action of every day a prayer, offering to God every thought, word and action, so that nothing is wasted, no time in your life is not directed to God. Make it a habit to say small ejaculations1 [brief prayers] with your own expression in each one, while you drive the car, while you do the chores at home, while you work on your job, while you are learning other things, while you are participating in social events, or any other human involvement. By doing this, you will find it difficult to perform an impure act or speak impurely when the habit you have is to say:
‘I love You, God.’
‘Thank You, God.’
‘I’m sorry, God.’
‘Please help me, God.’
‘Don’t let me do anything wrong, God.’
‘God, help me to obey Your Commandments.’
‘God, help me to be a better human being.’
‘God, help me to be just.’
‘God, help me to know what Your Will is for me.’
‘God, remember to give me the strength to walk away from impurities.’
‘God, never let me alone, be with me please.’
All these things, such small statements, but constant reminders Who He Is.
It is important to pray. Keep prayer evident. It is a tremendous and important step to becoming a Saint.”
1In Christianity, an ejaculation (also known as “aspiration”) refers to a brief prayer that anyone can use to communicate with God at any time, in any situation, as given in the examples above.
